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Big Apple BBQ
Posted: 2:54 pm, June 13th, 2009 in Eating in Other Areas of NYC
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34 Comments
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I got there early, before noon, and there weren't really lines to speak of. Sadly I couldn't really drink or be my normal gluttonous self because I have to work the rest of the day.
Was pleasantly surprised by Jim and Nick's smoked sausage with pimento cheese. Chatting with the really nice guy working there transported me to the south. He really had great things to say about the Southern Foodways Alliance, which is a great group out of Oxford, which I'm sure many know about. Though I was little disappointed he's from Birmingham and had no white BBQ.
I'd be curious to hear if anyone tried and liked Salt Lick, the most overrated BBQ out of Austin? Maybe they upped there game for the audience.
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Yeah, that seems to be the key. Get there early. Some friends I met up with got there at 10:30am, and got on line at 11 just as the event opened up.
So that's the key until people start showing up before the place opens so they don't have to wait on lines. Next thing you know, 2 years from now, you cant get there early cause everyone else is trying the same tactic :)
The only way I'll ever do that again is to go with a group of 5 or more, each with their own fast pass. Split up and wait on 5 different lines once, ordering food for the entire group, this way you only have to wait on line once.
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Hi Adam -- ya, it was crazy. The two lines I was in with the fast pass were 60+ deep -- but moved in < 20 minutes (17th street + big bob). Not all the fastpass lines were that long, though. Many were < 10 deep. The thing is, the "better/more-popular places would have insane lines if not using the fast pass. Using the guest fast pass, a friend waited in a line 40 deep, so we did double duty. I'm glad it wasn't as hot+sunny as it could be for a June day. I never did get a chance to get to Salt Lick. I just don't know how you could do this with kids without a fast pass. Also, last time, I went back on Sunday by myself, picked up some items and took them home -- I know that's not a possibility for everyone, but that also was good. I'm sorry we didn't get a chance to hang out more, but you're right, it was craziness! I'm glad you did liked the place I suggested... considering the wait.
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I took all your advice and got in line at 10:45 for Big Bob Gibson's pulled pork. 8 bucks is steep for the tiny pile they give you, but it's damn good. I got 2. Kicks the crap out of my RUB pulledpork, which i still have leftovers of. The line was already tripled when I got my food--not even 10 min into the bbq. I think I am done for the day...I am not waiting for 2-3 ribs...which is about all else I'd want...
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The crowd was huge. I didn't get to eat nearly enough. http://www.flickr.com/photos/vdubjb/sets/72157619660087765/
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Aside from opting to go to the Mets/Yankees game instead this year (and babysitting on Saturday), BF & I made a conscious choice not to go to the BABBQ this year because last year the lines were murderous, and the food just wasn't that awesome to warrant such long waits with a FastPass.
http://feistyfoodie.blogspot.com/2008/06/big-apple-barbecue-block-party-2008.html - we did try Salt Lick last year though.
(Ignore my comments about mayo+cole slaw) -
It was also about 97 degrees for it last year which didn't help.
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I think Stevroller and Adamprato said it best--and I actually took their advice, only living a block off of the park---GET THERE BEFORE IT OPENS AND GET ON LINE. Screw the fast pass. From what I could tell, it didn't help all that much. Next year, I plan to go both Saturday and Sunday for one "cart" of food each day, right when it opens. It's not bad waiting 15-25 min or so if you know you will get food within 10 min of the start. Moreover, it is likely to be the coolest it will be all day, so it's not so bad. Admittedly, it helps if you can bring the food home and store it rather than struggle to find your friends/a space to chow/try to preserve it----but the early line is the best line, since it is virtually none existent.
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I went with a plan that worked! Buy fastpass. Got there at 10:30AM. Claimed a bench. Went on line at Ed Mitchell's at 10:45AM with 1 friend. The other was watching over our bench. When the food started to serve, we went to each and every station down the block and bought everything. We piled the trays on top of each other. When we got to the other end of the pitmasters (Rack & Soul), it was only about 20 minutes. We enjoyed the rest of the day eating and watching other people squirm. Longest wait on any line was 3 minutes.
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How long in advance did you get the fast pass?
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I think they sold out over a month ago.
The only problem with this plan is the idea of barbecue at 11am :) To me that's still breakfast :)
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I would buy a fast pass I guess---if I could stock up real early and fill my fridge/freezer with bbq for months! I like that idea--getting their before it opens and hopping around the fast pass track. I will bring a wheelable cooler for my goods. HOpefully, we'll get a forum alert the day they go on sale next year!
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Goats, probably not. I'm not sure if you can do like a "bulk order".
I guess anyone who wants to do such a thing should bring their own ziplock bags.
Because these vendors have to serve city-block-long lines of customers, nothing is made to order, and they have a clockwork system much like a school cafeteria. I don't think you can just order a pound of something and pay by weight or anything. You order whatever meat you want, and it comes to you the way it comes; usually served on a cardboard tray with a little opening for whatever side it comes with (coleslaw, beans, etc):
http://www.flickr.com/photos/vdubjb/3626068125/in/set-72157619660087765/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/joshbousel/164508958/
http://x54.xanga.com/75cc604252232193103585/b148893606.jpg3 different years, same thing.
If you want to freeze a mass of bbq, just order from any of the vendors that were there. I'd be very surprised if a nationally known bbq'er weren't shipping the meat across the country.
My friend (a former Kansas resident) ships in Zarda's (KC barbecue) to NJ every few months: http://www.zarda.com/
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Okay, I can sympathise with the dearth of "real barbecue" in nyc. So an event like the Big Aple BBQ festival sounds like blessing no?
Normally I'd be asking "what idiot would stand on line forever for a small plate of barbecue"?
*raises hand*
"Fortunately" my wife and I planned to meet up with some friends who had a fastpass (hi scott! I owe you 18 bucks!) So I was able to get on the "fastpass" line, and I proceeded to wait 45 minutes on a line that was a city block long so I could get two pulled pork sandwiches... When I got to the end of the line I heard my name called out to me and it was a friend I hadn't seen in like a decade. He was on the regular line and waited 40 minutes...
Okay, I admit that this was probably the best pulled pork (good mix of shreds and chunks of smokey pink pork, not even sauced, kept moist from it's own succulence). I probably won't have pulled pork as good as that ever again. I couldn't enjoy it because of the insanity of the event.
So I'll revise my original question. Who goes to these events and actually enjoys waiting an hour or more for a small plate of food? Personally, I'll stick to proper restaurants. I'll take Dallas BBQ over waiting for that event. We have some ribs in the fridge that we're going to oven bbq for dinner tonight.
Zach, please tell me you had a press pass and didn't wait on the fastpass lines...